


Decisions and Revisions

by Eugenei



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 18:02:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17492633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eugenei/pseuds/Eugenei
Summary: "Do I dareDisturb the universe?In a minute there is timeFor decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse"- The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, T.S. EliotIn a single moment, with a single look, Hermione finds herself thinking of Draco in a way she never considered before. That one moment will lead Draco and Hermione into situations they'd never before imagined and making changes to their lives they could have never predicted.





	1. Thoughts in the aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> This will be an epic slow burn. I mean the slowest, most torturous burn of all the slow burns. 
> 
> This story is Cursed Child compliant - yes, the horror! But I'm taking one interesting moment away from that story and I'm running with it in as realistic a fashion as I possibly can. Hence the long, slow burn nature of this story.

"Still can't believe we had to see You-Know-Who again. It was chilling," Ron said coming out of the bathroom, making his way to the bed.

"Let's hope it was really the last time this time," Hermione replied.

"Now as for what I mentioned before we had to help save the world once again. Our remarriage..."

"When should we plan for?" Hermione asked, smiling down at her husband who was already lounging in bed with a heated grin, watching her change into her simple sleeping wear of shorts and a thin cotton top that clung to her curves.

"Anytime. I'd do it tomorrow if you wanted."

"I'd love to have Rose and Hugo there though. Perhaps over the holiday? We can have a small get-together too."

Ron nodded thoughtfully and then his smile grew. "You know I'm horribly impatient, but I think you've got a point. Let's wait for the kids."

Hermione smiled brightly at her husband and kissed him as she got into bed. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. "Besides, Mum would kill me if she wasn't invited and had the chance to help you plan another party."

Hermione laughed. "Are you seriously thinking of your mother while snogging me, Ronald Weasley?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Can't help it. I'm excited."

Hermione placed her hand lovingly against the side of his face. "Me too. I love you."

He smiled roguishly then and pushed her firmly into the mattress, smothering her with a passionate kiss. His large hand trailed up her stomach, tickling her slightly, causing her to wriggle against him. "Not too tired?" he asked, hopeful.

"Not at all," she replied, and pulled him down for another kiss.

* * *

Later, she rolled over and burrowed into the blankets on her side of the bed. A contented smile grew over her face as she let her eyes close on the precipice of sleep.

Almost immediately she was met with the vision of Malfoy's smiling face in her mind's eye, and just as rapidly, she opened her eyes with a startling jump.

"You okay over there?" Ron mumbled.

"Yes. Sleepy twitch."

"Hmmm," Ron responded. Then his body fully relaxed and she knew he was out.

But sleep didn't come for her. She remained on her side, clutching the blankets as though they could protect her from her thoughts as she stared vacantly at the wall across the room. She feared that the moment her eyes closed she'd see his face again. The only option was to refuse to shut them. Yet even that didn't set her mind at ease for the same, strange twinge in her stomach was there. Just like it had been earlier that day.

_"Hermione Granger, I'm being bossed around by Hermione Granger."_

At first she thought he was being rude as usual. On the verge of being contrary because he couldn't possibly bear to do what she demanded. She turned, ready to tell him off, but was caught off guard by the most charming of smiles she'd ever seen. Draco Malfoy was smiling at her.  _"And I'm mildly enjoying it."_

And in that moment, as her ears registered the flirtatious tone and she read the playfulness in his eyes, time and space froze. Her stomach flipped and filled with the most unwanted butterflies. She knew her cheeks flushed and she'd thanked the dim light for cover.

But it was only a moment, and before she could even fathom a response, for once at a complete loss for words, his son had cut in, probably embarrassed:  _"Dad..."_

She turned away just as rapidly as he did then, and took her position, willing herself to focus on the task at hand.

Now, here she was, thinking of that moment again in bed. It hadn't surfaced all day. Not with all of the commotion and the emotional toll of seeing Voldemort again. Then being with Harry for awhile back at his place along with Ron and Ginny, to support him after witnessing his parents' murder.

Her thoughts circled on him for what felt like ages. Everything he'd ever said in their childhood. Everything he'd said in the past few months. Somehow, he'd become someone else in her mind. Not the one dimensional bully she grew up with, but a man with fear and the apparent capacity for love. It jarred her. And the night crept slowly, silently by, providing no solace or distraction from her tormented thoughts.


	2. Still slippery, still bossy

Hermione yawned widely just as Ron walked into the kitchen the next morning. She'd been eating her breakfast at a snail's pace from sheer exhaustion caused by the near sleepless night. Normally she'd already left for work by the time Ron was awake and downstairs.

"Tired? You sure look it," he said, picking up the steaming mug of coffee she'd left out for him on the island counter.

"Charming, Ron," she bit back in response. As though any woman ever wanted to hear she looked tired.

"Suppose that's my doing," he said, waggling his eyebrows, not the least bit phased by her tone.

A stab of guilt twists through her gut and she sputters over her orange juice.

"Whoa, careful there," Ron said, patting her lightly on the back. "You really aren't yourself at all this morning. Sure you should be going into work?"

"Ron, really. I'm the Minister. I can't stay home because I'm tired."

"Even the Minister deserves a break sometimes. Especially after that Minister just helped save the world, yet again."

She smiled up at him. "Always a terrible influence. Trying to make me shirk my duties."

"One of these days I'll successfully convince you."

"Today isn't it. Too many important press conferences and meetings regarding yesterday's events."

"I'm sure I'll be required at a few of those."

"You certainly will. For now though, how about you work on calling someone to take care of our remarriage today."

"You got it, boss."

_Boss. Bossy...mildly enjoying it...smile..._

_NO_.

Could she ever hear that word again and not be reminded?

"Thanks, Ron. I'll send word for what times I think I'll need you at the Ministry."

"I'll be on the lookout."

She pecked her husband on the cheek and left for work, happy for a certain distraction.

* * *

As expected, her day flew by as she rushed from meeting to meeting, then to a press conference, and after that, to yet more meetings. Harry, who was of course at the center of all of the news, tried as hard as he could to keep his son's name out of it, but it seemed everyone knew the truth of the matter already.

"Seems the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Mr. Potter" - "The Potters do have a knack for getting caught up in trouble" - "Does your son feel the need to compete with you for glory?" The barrage of reporters called out in their usual pushy, obnoxious fashion.

Harry expertly dodged these comments and similar questions, choosing to focus on the fact that Voldemort was gone for good. And further, they had discovered the true heir of the dark wizard. This key piece of information was the centerpiece of the final press conference of the long day, especially because the father of the previously suspected heir of Voldemort was present.

"What I really want to stress, before we leave," Harry said forcefully to everyone in the room, "is that Scorpius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy's son, has never been the secret child of Voldemort. It has always been the most ludicrous and rather offensive rumor which has unfairly followed an innocent boy around for as long as he can remember and it's high time anyone spreading that rumor puts an end to it once and for all."

From her position next to Harry, she could see Draco standing close to the podium smiling appreciatively up at Potter. He towered in his typical black robes, immaculate as ever. Steeling herself, she quickly looked away, not wanting to be caught staring. When she first saw him at the start of the conference, she had vowed to behave normally. There was no reason that comment yesterday had to mean anything. It would only become something if she made it something, and she would not start acting strangely around Draco for a remark so trivial and very likely meaningless. He always had a knack for saying the most disarming things and she supposed that if strangely veiled flirtatious comments were his new angle, it sure beat racial slurs.

When Harry closed out his speech, some clapped while members of the press surged forward, hoping to get some lingering questions answered. They shouted after him as he turned and walked to the door on his right, with Hermione and members of her staff following.

They left the conference room and traveled a short pace to Harry's office in the Magical Law Department.

"You can all head home for the evening," Hermione said, turning to address her staff before following Harry into his office. "Thank you everyone for your work today."

The staff moseyed down the hall, wishing her a good evening as they passed. And as her last staff member walked by, she noticed for the first time that the man bringing up the back of the line wasn't one of her staffers at all, but Draco.

"Malfoy, how'd you manage to sneak back here?" Hermione asked, keeping her tone light.

"Well, I am a Slytherin, so sneaking is in my nature," he replied with a smirk.

"I know that full well. Come on," she said, gesturing for him to follow her into Harry's disorderly office.

"Potter, thanks for that out there," Draco said, making his presence known.

Harry looked up from his briefcase he was packing with a surprised look which turned into a smile.

"I told you I would this morning," he said kindly. Hermione could see plainly that a shift had taken place in light of recent events. Rather than a tense civility, the two men spoke to each other as new friends. While she didn't feel quite so easy around Malfoy, she could at least take heart in Harry's receptivity to the man.

"I know, but still, I appreciate it. And I'm sure Scorpius will too."

"I only hope it will make things at Hogwarts a bit easier for him."

"Have either of you heard from them since they returned to school?" Hermione asked, curious as to how the boys were getting on.

"Scorpius wrote earlier today because I made him. He, at the very least, already noticed fewer glares from other students. It seems word got out about it all before the press conferences today. I'm sure with your statement things will only continue to improve."

"Well, that's a start," Hermione offered to which Draco nodded.

"I haven't heard from Albus yet. But I'm going up there tomorrow afternoon for a chat with him and McGonagall so I'm sure I'll get an idea for how things are."

"Have you two worked things out then?"

"I think we're getting there. He -"

"Mr. Potter!" Erika Johnson, Harry's secretary called from an adjoining room.

"Yes, Erika?" Harry called back.

"Could you come by my desk before you leave? I need you to sign a few things."

"Ugh, more bloody paperwork."

Hermione smiled. "Pretending I didn't hear that."

"Oh, I mean, yes! More work. You do know how I love paperwork," he mocked with a wry smile.

"I should to be leaving anyways," she said, shaking her head at her horribly disorganized friend. "It's late and I'm sure Ron will have dinner waiting by now. Goodnight."

"See you tomorrow, Hermione," Harry said, clasping his briefcase shut.

"I'll follow you out, actually," Draco replied. "See you around, Potter."

"Have a goodnight, Malfoy," Harry responded.

Hermione turned swiftly on her heel and let her agitation show on her face as she opened Harry's office door and stepped into the hall. She didn't want a private conversation and she couldn't imagine what he'd actually have to say to her either.  _What the bloody hell is his problem?_  she fumed internally.

But upon reaching the hall she'd schooled her features and met him with a cool, polite gaze as he shut Harry's door behind him.

He cleared his throat and fell into step beside her as she drifted down the hall.

"You holding up alright since yesterday's events?" he asked casually.

"Doing fine," she replied.

"That's good to hear. It was certainly strange - seeing him again, I mean. Really dredged up a lot of things I hoped could always stay in the past."

"How are you holding up?" she asked, looking at him intently for the first time. She hadn't actually considered what he would be feeling at the moment he saw Voldemort, his old master.

"I'm fine, all in all. While for my own peace of mind I'd have preferred to never see him again, I must say that facing him with you lot was better than any other alternative."

"It was still jarring. For all of us, I think. It wasn't easy for Harry, especially. Had a rough go of it when we got back."

"Ah yes, I can imagine. At least he had you all to support him."

"Yes..." The word hung in the air as she realized, also for the first time, that he's quite alone. She of course knew of Astoria's death. But she hadn't responded the same way Ginny had since neither of her children were friendly with Scorpius.

"I was sorry to hear about Astoria," she said, a sad note taking on her tone as she more fully considered the man before her. Tense relationship with his son. A wife who died young. And an unforgiving reputation that would follow him for life. Granted, he in many ways deserved the latter, but she found herself pitying him.

"Yes, it's been hard on Scorpius. They were close. He hasn't really been himself since."

"How are you doing though?"

His step faltered slightly and she slowed to keep pace with him. The strained and even perplexed look that showed on his face indicated to her that he'd been trying to keep his own internal struggles at bay.

He pierced her with a searching gaze.

"Honestly? It's been pretty fucking miserable. She really saved me, you know. Showed me a better version of myself. She's the mother of my son. Despite her illness making her frail, she was one of the most resilient women I've ever met and I miss her terribly every day."

Hermione breathed deeply at his admission and stopped walking altogether. Following her lead, he too stopped and turned slightly to face her. Before she could question the action, she lightly laid her hand over his left forearm. "I'm really sorry, Draco. I wish I could do something to make things better."

He smiled kindly. "I appreciate that. But it'll take time and nothing more."

She nodded and removed her arm to resume her walking. The floo network now in sight.

"I suppose this is where I'll leave you now, Granger. Have a goodnight," Malfoy said, turning to face her as they stopped in the center of the room. He smiled down at her, just as he had yesterday. Only this time she found herself returning it. When it didn't catch her off guard, it was actually quite a contagious and infectious smile.

"Listen, Ron and I are having a few people over this weekend. Just food, drinks, conversation. If you haven't got anything planned we'd love to have you." Did she just say that? She did not intend for that to come out of her mouth.

"Really?" he said with a slight chuckle. "You both would love that would you?"

She smiled, catching his drift. "Okay, Ron might take some convincing. But if I insist, he'll come around."

Malfoy really laughed this time. "Merlin, you've got him making dinner for you and you'll coerce him into hosting childhood enemies. You clearly have full dominion over your husband."

Hermione couldn't help the Malfoyesque smirk that took over her face. "Are you surprised?"

"A bossy thing like you? Not at all. I imagine you could talk a man into doing just about anything. And make him believe he enjoys it." There it was again, that tone matched with his glinting, mischievous eyes.

Her stomach somersaulted again, but she kept her voice calm and collected. "Then come over on Saturday. Seven o'clock."

He nodded once. "Goodnight, Granger."

"See you Saturday," she said, making her way to the nearest fireplace.


End file.
